Qeya River down by the walls of wapping

a wild guardian thread appears!

the morning sunshine is warm, a wheat gold as it shines down upon the qeya river, captured and glinting against the semi-melted chunks of ice that float downstream; lazily. after a drink to quench his thirst and a quick bite to eat to soothe any stomach rumbles, kivaluk takes to the borders. there is a comfort to the routine; eyes and ears alert as he begins his rounds.

pauses are taken to mark the borders where he thinks it's needed, and to investigate any scents that strike him as unfamiliar.

Amalia because she only needs one more thread to get warden base.

Amalia found herself heading towards the borders again. A regular haunt. Between border patrol and hunting. She hadn't had much time to just be and converse with anyone.

Briggs scent was cold and dead. Sadey still swirled around edges though she had been scarce lately. She was honoring her promise to stay though. She hadn't seen Reno.

Kivaluks unique scent filtered into her nose and she quickly changed course. She wished to check in with the youth. He had had many changes in his young life. And she still felt a disconnect with her found family lately since the arrival of the surly teenager from Tartok.

unknown to kivaluk, within a few days time this would all be in vain. but for now, it gives him something to focus on aside from his brother's continued isolation and stone cold reception. and kivaluk throws himself into it. he throws himself into training just as he throws himself, now, into patrolling. he is focused: on marking, on deciphering scents, on letting his gaze scan the no-man's land between natigvik and the neutral territories that touch it.

so focused that he does not immediately notice amalia.

when he does, he gives a start; heart pounding in his chest.

amalia, he breathes her name on a shaking exhale. you scared me. a bubbling laugh leaves his lips.

Amalia did not know what to make of what changes she felt. There was an unease to the air as of late. And it made her feel blurred atound the edges. But she wandered if it was simply her taking the reprimand however small to heart. So she tried to ignore the looming feelings.

Amalia glances at him. Oh goodness Kivaluk. I'm sorry I hadn't meant to scare you.

But as he laughed true to form hwr own titling laugh joined his and she moved to close the distance and gice him a kindly nudge.

Would you like company on your patrol?

a soft twitch of kivaluk's lips is offered in a ghost of a smile. do not worry, he speaks in an effort to reassure. it wasn't very guardian of me to be so easily spooked. admittedly, his thoughts had been split focused between the borders himself — and a lack of what was happening directly 'round him — and his continued worry over is brother.

akkuma's ...condition was only worsening, despite kivaluk's hopes that their father's return would brighten his brother's spirit.

i'm distracted. he admits then with a soft sigh feathering betwixt his lips.

your company is always welcome. he invites with a soft wag of his tail offered moment before he picks up the patrol route he'd been taking when she'd first came upon him.

Amalia smiled though sadly. I myself have difficulty as of late focusing.

She frowned, but moved into position with him. She wasn't certain where amyone stood or what was coming.

She listened to the trill of bird song of those that were stragglers from leaving.

Autumn is as beautiful as spring.

what troubles you? kivaluk asks amalia quietly, pausing only in the aftermath to add quickly: you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. the last thing he wanted to do was to be nosy or prying when he didn't have any right to be. for while it felt like a polite thing to ask, kivaluk didn't want her to feel pressured into answering him if it was a matter she'd rather keep to herself.

he pauses then, rubbing his shoulder against a boulder; wisps of moss getting stuck in his fur.

i don't remember much of spring. only that he was born towards its end.

Amalia thought about it, there was no real cut or dry answer. There was just many changes lately and something felt looming. Though of what it could be she wasn't sure. So she offered him a smile instead.

Just a disruption to my own peace is all. That happens sometimes as we age. Something changes or we feel like something is changing and it also changes us a bit on the inside.

She rubbed against trees and boulders, dug paws into the ground.

Oh spring is beautiful. Wildflowers grow and baby animals are born. The world comes alive with noise and pretty colors and the air gets warmer. It is indeed beautiful.

a soft snort that was derisive and far from amused, leaves kivaluk as she speaks about disruption and how it can change a wolf. i feel like i know that better than i should. he isn't bitter about it ( at least, not yet, a tune that would change in a few days to come ) but kivaluk feels like all he's known is instability. which wasn't entirely fair to his parents: they were trying. situations — life — outside of their control occured and they did the best they could. he, older now and perhaps a bit wiser ( not entirely the child he once was ) can understand this.

process it better than he could as a small child.

i look forward to spring, then. he says, a soft smile tugging at his lips as she weaves the story of it to him. he pauses then, ears alert atop his skull to sniff at a stretch of the borders and the stench of fox lingering upon them. hm, he drawls; head lifting as his gaze moves back to amalia. foxes. he offers though likely she can smell them just as well as he can.

Ears leaned forward at the snort that left him. She had said what she had on purpose. Knowing that he would understand. Even as a child. His whole life had been nothing, but disruption. It upset her greatly. Granted it was the way of things at times.

Amalia's eyes lit up. I think you will enjoy it.

She got the musty odor around the same time he did. Ears hit atop her skull. Tail in a wide sweep. Lips curled back at the smell.

What would you like to do about them? Let them be or hunt them? They can cause issues in our caches? Or they may move on?

i hope i will, is all kivaluk has to offer further on the topic of spring; though time was the only true test that would tell. kivaluk, however, doesn't think about it for long. his attention is enraptured by the foxes that have crossed brazenly into their claim.

she asks what he wants to do and he hesitates for a moment, considering. let's follow their trail, he suggests. if they seem like they're moving on we'll let them be but if it seems like they're lingering we can chase them out.

Amalia had learned in her short time alive. That time is the test for all things. Healing, dividing, and so much more. It was both hard to fathom, but also relatively easy. And it also depended on the soul that beat beneath your breast, what you made of the world and what it threw at you.

She nodded and bent her nose to the trail. Let's go then.

She gave a sharp smile and again followed the trail. Ears twitching at the sounds around them. Silent footfalls, nose taking in all odors. She was watching. Foxes were wily things and she didn't really want to have to fight one, they could be awful, and their scratches could render you blind.

fading. <3

to kivaluk, it seems as if amalia is on board with his plan. he was rather proud of himself for thinking of it and trying to handle it in the way he thought was best — even if he was wrong. he peers at her for a moment, almost as if to be sure of his decision, before he takes the lead following the fox trail.

luckily, the trails loops around and back out of the territory with minimal damage to a smaller food cache. he eyes it with a terse frown tugging at his lips before inviting her to hunt with him if he'd like.